THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2837, 31 July 1916, Page 9

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS , !Et Glencoe.l The annual general meeting, oI the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club will bo held on Thursday at 11 a.m., When the new committee will bo appointed. ; To-morrow all horses in tho Dominion will, technically speaking, be a year older. The Napier trainer P. P. Neagle leaves for tho south to-morrow. He is taking with him Kooya, who is after jumping honours,'and Multum, who will contest tho Winter Cup. Tho Jticcartou trainer F. D. Jones has received'tiro'additions to his teafti, both of them being by, Hymettus. The Hon. J. D. Ormond bred the nowcomcrs, one ot' whom will probably carry Mr. H. A. ICnighfs colours. A peculiarity about the, acceptances for tho big events at Kiccarton is that tho samo number have paid up in the Steeples and Hurdles each year. Last season thcro were tweuty-ono in each event, and this year twenty-three. Tho Cup had an acceptance of thirty-six last year, as against thirty-one this. There is a slight falling-off in the entries received for the minor events at the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National Meeting. Altogether, these total 408, as against 462 twelve months ago. Even, eo, there, is ample material for good racing, and, as usual, North Island stables look like getting nwaj with tho major portion of the stake money. Tho .South Canterbury gelding Yes won a double at the Braekenfield Hunt meeting "last week. He was also successful at the South Canterbury Hunt fixture, and about two months ago won. a raco at Oamaru, so that he has four victories on end to his credit. He is a greatly improved gelding, who is likely to win in much better company noxt senson. The victory gained by Kingsway' in the Hack Steeplechase at the Braefceniteld Hunt meeting was extremely popular; He lias been a consistent performer on the Amberlev course for several past,' but on this occasion his owner, Mr. G. N. M'L'ean, was not present to witness the success of his favourite, as ho is at the front with the Expeditionary Forces. The Feilding Jockey Club's annual report states that the club's revenue lias been .-satisfactorily maintained.' A now totalisator houso will bo ready for th» November meeting, but the rest of .the club's comprehensive programme for improving its course, will bo postponed* till after the war. Three ot the officials o! the club are at the front, Dr. Willis, Mr. B. N. Santlilands, and Mr. Desmond. The total amount contributed during the wqr to Government taxation and patriotic funds amouuts to no less than JCI73G 7s. Tho Perth' writer, "Prophecy," tells the story how the AVIA.T.C. stipendiary stewards struck what is "blue duck.", He says an unusual incident happened just prior to the running of tho Welter Handicap at the June meeting of the Belmont Park Club. Truscott was engaged to ride D. M'Donald's gelding Ritz, but the stipendiary stewards did not like the way the horse was travelling in-the betting market, and at tho last moment decided to substitute Tod, Tou.tig for Truscott. The chango of ' riders made practically no difference, to the gelding's price, liitz made practically all the pace, and finished third to Redstring (ivlio was equal favourite with. Eitz) and Tardy. Of course, the stipendiary stewards have power under tho cotlo lo not as thoy did, but it is a twoed::ed sword apt tu swing back on to tho wieitier.i of it. As recently cabled, Stanley Wootton succumbed to the wounds he received when lighting with tbo British troops in France. Lieutenant Wootton and his brother Prank have for several years been right in tho forefront of English horsemen. Both were'born in Australia, and accompanied their lather to South Africa when he settled there as a trainer some ten years ago. At this time Stanley, then» an apprentice, gavo much promise as a jockey, but for many! years was overshadowed by his mortbrilliant elder brother. On Wootton senior's migration to England, the juvenile had better opportunities, and was nol long in taking a very high place in tho ranks of English horsemen, most of his riding being done for his father's successful stable. Soon after the war started Stanley enlisted, and was subsequently promoted to the rank of lieutenant. It will be very pleasing to'his many Australian friends to learn that Stanley Wootton had tlio Military Cross conferred on him for conspicuous gallantry in the field,